


waiting for something to happen.

by SolarSystem



Category: OMORI (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Gen, Not Beta Read, but at what cost, romance is not main focus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:01:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolarSystem/pseuds/SolarSystem
Summary: "It felt like a sick joke- Sunny bleeding out on the remains of the instrument. Mari didn’t want to think about it."Sunny falls instead of Mari.
Relationships: Aubrey & Basil & Hero & Kel & Mari & Sunny (OMORI), Hero/Mari (OMORI), Mari & Sunny (OMORI)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 268





	1. mistakes

The sound of the violin cracking echoed in the walls, and the silence that followed was deafening. Mari watched in numbing horror as Sunny’s precious gift sailed through the air and smashed upon impact- she felt her heart break in two. Fragments of spruce and memories skidded across the floor. The strings glistened in light, now unable to play even a single note. 

Mari had been preparing for her and Sunny’s recital, (It was  _ their _ big event. It had to be perfect) and though outwardly she seemed confident, stress and anxiety kept her awake at night and her hands trembled as they hovered over the ivory keys. Every wrong note hung over her head like a noose. (It had to be perfect, it had to be perfect, she had to be perfect-) 

The violin laid on the ground pitifully and in pieces; and Mari felt the taut strings finally snap. 

“Sunny! Why- why would you do that?” Mari cried, facing her little brother. As she did, a shiver ran down her spine. Sunny never was that expressive but the emptiness in his eyes was haunting. He stared down at his feet.

“I don’t want to play anymore.” He mumbled. Frustration flared in her chest. Tonight was the recital- how could he? Mari tried to take deep breaths to calm herself, but the air in her lungs stuttered. It felt like her anger and sadness were rising to a crescendo. 

Mari’s voice wavered. “Why? You worked so hard for this!” Sunny said nothing, his shoulders drawing inward. “Please, Sunny, I don’t understand. Just talk to me-” 

“I said I don’t want to play!”

Sunny grit his teeth and shoved her towards the window. The push was weak but it caught Mari off-guard. She stumbled, leaning against the wall with her hand for support. Sunny...pushed her. The siblings rarely fought and when they did, it was never physical. The shock quickly boiled to anger as she watched Sunny turn towards the stairs.

“We’re not done here, Sunny!” She recovered and blocked his path. Sunny drew back as if he was slapped, panic flickering across his face. He looked like a wild animal backed in a corner. “You-”

Suddenly her Sunny’s face morphed into Something. A cacophony of emotions colored his face like a messy canvas- rage, frustration, misery, fear. For a moment, all of Mari’s anger melted away in a moment of startling clarity. Frozen in time, she stared at her little brother who only just turned 12. What was she doing, screaming at him when he felt just as stressed as her, or even more so? (Oh god she was just like him-)

The moment shattered into a million pieces when Sunny lurched towards her with tears streaming down his face. He ducked under her arm in an attempt to escape. Mari stared in horror as time cruelly slowed to a crawl. Like snapshots in a film, she watched the scene unravel.

Sunny dove past her.

In his haste, his foot slipped on the steps.

He fell backwards. 

The side of his head cracked against the railing.

He tumbled down the stairs.

And landed on top of the broken violin.

Mari’s eyes were open wide, her body was shaking from a sudden chill in the room. She opened her mouth and a piercing scream reverberated in the house. She scrambled after her brother, kicking away the scraps of wood around him. It felt like a sick joke- Sunny bleeding out on the remains of the instrument. Mari didn’t want to think about it.

“Sunny? Sunny? Sunny, please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-  _ please, wake up!”  _ Mari sobbed and cradled him in her arms, his head resting on her lap. Sunny looked like he was sleeping. Blood soaked her white dress and her hands. He didn’t wake up no matter how much she shook him.

“Oh my god, oh my god-” She picked him up (was he always this light?) and rushed towards the home phone. Sunny’s head wound bled sluggishly, leaving a trail of red behind them. Darkness engulfed the house, shadows loomed from the walls and inched closer. The lights streaming through the window seemed to be swallowed by pitch black. Fear prickled the back of her neck. The sensation of something watching her.

Mari grabbed the phone and entered the number for the police with slick fingers. As the dial tone drew out she swore she felt Sunny go colder in her arms. Finally, she heard a click as someone on the other end picked up the receiver. 

_ “911, what is your emergency?” _

“Please- my brother- he fell down the stairs and now he’s bleeding, please help him, please-”

_ “Ma’am, please try to calm down. Can you give me your address so I can send the paramedics on the way?” _

Mari took in a shuddering breath. She recited her home address and listened to the woman speak. The words turned to static as she stared down at Sunny. In the absence of the light, he was colorless. He looked so peaceful, his face devoid of the raw emotions from before. Mari tenderly stroked his cheek with her bloodied hand, tears falling silently from her eyes. This was all her fault. This was all her fault. This was all her fault.

Time passed in a blur, Mari couldn’t tell if it had been minutes, days, or years. Red and blue violently painted the walls and a siren’s wail echoed in the night. Shouting and radio chatter rang beyond the front door. Suddenly, Sunny was torn away from her arms and further into the darkness. Panic rose in her chest and Mari clawed her way towards him, screaming until her throat was hoarse but he was gone.

The shadows lunged at her and Mari’s vision went white.

  
  



	2. vacant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "His shoes screeched across the pavement and stray flowers scattered in the wind, marigolds and sunflowers lost to the darkness."
> 
> Hero comes to save the day. Or tries to, at least.

The white plastic bag in Hero's hand rustled in the wind, filling the air with the scent of fresh flowers. Hero checked his phone again for the time. Good, it looked like he wasn't going to be late. He and the other had come up with the idea of buying flowers for Mari and Sunny in celebration of their recital. Basil had helped them select a bouquet of marigolds and sunflowers. Hero was the one chosen to fetch the gift from the florist, being the eldest with more money. 

He idly whistled a tune, recognizing the song as the piece Mari and Sunny were diligently practicing. Hero smiled at the thought. He couldn't wait to see their grand performance. 

A sudden chill washed over his body, raising the hairs on his skin despite the warm weather. Hero's whistling stopped abruptly as he stood in the middle of the sidewalk. He strained his ears, puzzled as to why he paused when he heard it: the sound of sirens in the distance. Hero turned towards the direction of the noise and felt his blood go cold. 

He ran.

He ran past blurring houses and streets. His shoes screeched across the pavement and stray flowers scattered in the wind, marigolds and sunflowers lost to the darkness. Hero was never really skilled in sports- that was more of Kel's thing- but he sprinted as fast as he could until his lungs were burning and heaving, until the sirens and his prayers grew so loud that they rang in his ears.

Hero skidded to a stop, completely out of breath. The handle of the bag was crinkled under his tight grip. Flashing lights of an ambulance and police cars painted the skies in harsh colors. He searched desperately past the numerous officers and paramedics. 

Something caught his attention.

One of the paramedics was wheeling something into the back of the ambulance. No, not something;  _ someone. _ Jet black hair matted with a dark substance, an oxygen mask that seemed too large for its wearer’s face, a sickly pale complexion that was stark against the night. Hero’s heart dropped as he breathed out a name;

“ _ Sunny…” _

Dazed, he watched as the gurney disappeared into the ambulance. Another realization shook him out of his stupor, renewing the sense of panic. He looked around for a crown of raven hair. Beyond the officers was a figure hunched over on the doorsteps to the residence. Hero pushed past the policemen and hurried to the girl.

Mari sat at the entrance of the house. The door was wide open and the darkness inside threatened to swallow up her silhouette. A shock blanket was draped over her shoulders, swamping her small frame. Beside her was an officer trying to get a statement out of her in vain.

Hero swallowed thickly and forced himself to level his breathing, just like Mari taught him.  _ In… Out… In… Out…  _ He willed away the ice creeping into his lungs that didn't go away even with his breathing exercise.

_ Come on, Hero.  _ He told himself,  _ Mari needs you _ . With one last sigh, he walked over to the two and plastered on a charming smile.

"Hello, officer, my name is Hero. I'm a friend of Mari's." He greeted, gesturing towards her.

Said officer blinked and looked away from Mari. "Well, hello. I've been trying to get a word from her but she hasn't said a thing."

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to see if she's okay. I might be able to get her to talk too."

"Well…" The officer shifted in place before sighing. "Alright. Let me know if she says anything. And… be patient with her. She's been through a lot. Poor kids…" 

With that the officer walked away, joining the other policemen. Hero turned his attention to Mari. Tentatively, he took a seat next to her on the steps.

"Hey, Mari…" he began weakly. Hero waited for a response but the girl remained silent, staring down at her hands. He followed her line of sight and his stomach lurched at what he saw.

Fueled by sheer adrenaline and concern, Hero was frantically searching for Mari and Sunny. Now that the panic had faded, he was left with a clearer mind. Hero wondered in horror how he could've possibly missed the rust colored splotches on Mari's dress and hands. 

Dark patches covered the front of the dress in trails, as if Mari had been holding Sunny close to her. Her well manicured fingernails were crusted with dried blood and a faint smell of iron tinged the back of his throat. 

"I-I'm going to get you something to wipe away the- the-"  _ The blood _ ,  _ Sunny's blood _ , he wanted to say, but the words died on his tongue and clung like acid in his mouth. Hero staggered upwards, lips pressed to a thin line at Mari's lack of response. He turned away and walked into the empty house.

Inside was silent. Each step Hero took creaked like a gunshot. It was jarring for the household to be this quiet, usually its halls were livened with them playing around and having fun. Now, the distant sounds of memories haunted him. It was so easy to slip into the notion that everything was going to be okay forever. He didn't know what to do now that the illusion was shattered. 

Following his planned trajectory to the kitchen, Hero paused at the foot of the staircase. An overwhelming wave of nausea and dread crashed over him. Involuntarily, a hand flew to his throat at the phantom sensation of suffocation. Moonlight streamed through the window from above, bathing the corridor in a monochrome glow.

Right at his feet was a broken violin and a pool of pitch black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow double chapter
> 
> Kudos and comments are nice. Thanks


	3. lighthouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mari all but threw her arms around him, gripping tightly as if he were an anchor in a hurricane."
> 
> Nothing says "love" like shared trauma.

Hero stared incomprehensibly at the wreckage  before him. He couldn't understand what he was seeing.  _ The violin…? That we gave Sunny? Why is it...broken? What in the world happened?  _ His mind ran rampant with unanswerable questions. 

Hero remembered the day they gifted Sunny the violin as clear as day. He remembered the pure, unbridled joy on the normally stoic boy, how he shakily played his first note, how wonderfully it sounded. The violin that held so many dear memories now laid in pieces, cold and unfeeling. 

Underneath the violin was a dark puddle, unmistakably Sunny's blood. Hero brought up a hand to his face and averted his eyes. The mere thought of his friend motionless and bleeding on the floor made him want to heave.

Dragging his feet, Hero made his way into the kitchen, his head dizzy from his turmoil. He grabbed a cloth hanging on a rack with unsteady hands. The faucet twisted with a loud squeak and water came rushing out. Hero held the cloth under the sink, grimacing at the freezing temperatures. At least the shock startled him out his thoughts. He looked down at the dampening cloth. In the unlit room, the liquid pouring out was dark as midnight, soaking everything it touched. Transfixed, he stared down at his hands. It looked like- 

Hero gasped, flinching away from the sink. He quickly shut off the tap and leaned heavily against the counter. Somehow, he was breathless, tremors wracked his body in waves.  _ Calm down, Hero _ , he reminded himself.  _ In… Out… In… Out… _

It wasn’t working. Pins and needles rippled throughout the surface of his back. Hero wanted to turn around but fear paralyzed his movements. Fear of what could be behind him. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried again;  _ In… Out… In… Out…  _ Steeling himself, Hero whirled around, panting heavily-

No one.

Of course. Of course there wouldn’t be something there- what was he even thinking? He was just shaken by today's events and seeing things. The cold and wet rag in his hand grounded him back to reality. Right, he had to bring it to Mari. Another idea suddenly hit him- he needed to bring her a change of clothes.

Hero left the kitchen and stood once again at the bottom of the stairs. He gazed up the looming steps, sweat gathering at his brow.  _ Were the stairs always this tall?  _ He shook away his anxiety and convinced himself there was nothing to be worried about. As Hero slowly climbed up the stairs, he made sure to grip the railing tightly.

If he thought downstairs was quiet, then the hallway here had a downright oppressive atmosphere. Hero's head spun under the pressure he felt on his body.  _ What the hell is going on?  _ He wondered, trying to remember if he had eaten anything recently. That must be it. 

Hero hurriedly entered Mari's room, making sure not to stay for long. He was already breaching her privacy by entering uninvited. As he looked for some clean clothes for his friend to wear, Hero noticed untidy papers strewn across the desk.

Upon further inspection, they were music sheets for her and Sunny's recital. Numerous notes and annotations were made on the surface, all progressively getting messier- almost even desperate. A sentence that repeated over and over again stuck out to Hero:  _ "Not good enough." _

A painful pang shot through Hero's chest and a frown grew on his face. Mari always seemed so easygoing, her fingers danced gracefully on the piano keys with ease. He never realized that she would be struggling. Guilt wormed its way into Hero's heart. He stepped away from the sheets and grabbed some clothes, swiftly leaving the bedroom.

The violin remained irreparable on the floor. As Hero trekked out of the house, he ignored the feeling of hands slithering up his back.

* * *

As soon as he stepped outside, Hero felt a rush of warm, sticky air. The humidity made his clothes cling uncomfortably onto his skin. It was the peak of summer and the temperatures seem to hit a new high everyday, even without the sun shining overhead. Crickets chirped somewhere unseen. It was deceptively a peaceful night tonight. Hero made his way towards Mari, relieved and worried to see she hadn’t moved an inch.

"Hey, Mari. I'm going to help you clean your hands, okay?"

He sat beside her once again, gingerly taking her bloodied hands. Mari's breath hitched lightly and Heri paused, but started wiping away the residue when she didn't seem distressed.

Slowy, the caked blood rubbed off her hands, staining the cloth dark red. Hero fell into an easy pattern of softly cleaning Mari's hands. When they were mostly spotless, Hero looked up to the murkiness gone from her expression. Mari met his gaze. Fresh tears glimmered in her eyes.

_"Hero…"_ she whispered shakily.

"Oh, Mari…" Hero said in return, leaning over to hug her. Mari all but threw her arms around him, gripping tightly as if he were an anchor in a hurricane. It was upsetting to see her in so much pain but Hero was relieved that Mari was back to reality. 

For what seemed like hours, Mari sobbed into his shoulders and Hero cried along with her; tears of fear and sympathy streaked his cheeks. They held each other, finding comfort in the other's presence. A frightening question surfaced in Hero's mind:  _ How were they going to tell the others? _

Finally, the storm lessened, though it continued to brew in the distance. Hero and Mari reluctantly pulled apart but remained close enough to feel the warmth emanating from their bodies.  Wiping away their tears, they both took a shuddering breath. Mari looked less like she was a step from falling to pieces, at least. 

After a beat, Hero cleared his throat, looking into his dear friend's eyes,

"Mari… can you tell me what happened?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo what's good 
> 
> Excuse any typos lol I'm dumb as shit

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thanks for reading.
> 
> If you enjoyed, kudos and comments are nice.


End file.
